Folding crate.



A. F. AMMAN.

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION IILBD 21:13.17, 191s.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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wi lmmm A. F. AMMAN.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17,1913' 1 ,13,461, Patented Jan.5, 1915.

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AIL/KRIS PETERS c0. PHOTD-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. r

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ALBERT F. AMMAN, OF BLOOMINGTON, NEBRASKA.

FOLDING CRATE.

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Application filed February 17, 1913.

To all 107mm it may 0011 cam:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. AMMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of Franklin and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in storing and shipping receptacles, and is more particularly concerned with crates for eggs.

Many folding or collapsible crates have been devised hitherto, but the constructions usually contemplated have been cumbersome and expensive to manufacture. In addition, these crates have lacked the strength necessary to maintain their life under the rough conditions of use to which they are subjected, so that the general adoption of folding crates has been impracticable.

The present invention aims to provide a folding or collapsible crate the construction of which is exceedingly simple, and thus capable of being made at low cost, but at the same time the invention has in view the production of a crate which is durable and lasting, including in its make-up efficient means by which to brace the crate. both when set up and when collapsed, against the strains and stresses imposed thereon.

Transportation charges on em ty crates are based. enerally, upon the bulk and not the weight of the crates. so that it is a desideratum to shippers of eggs to employ a crate which, in collapsed condition, will require only minimum space, and likewise in the storing of the crates.

The present invention. therefore. also has in view the provision of a collapsible crate which will fold into the smallest practicable space, thus cheapening the cost of transportation for the return thereof, and increasing the number possible to be stored in a given area.

While the before recited objects are among the salient ones to be attained by the invention, others will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 5, 1915..

Serial No. 748,970.

drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding crate embodving the principles of the present invention, the crate being illustrated in set-up position. Fig. 9. is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the collapsed condition of the crate. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view with the crate also collapsed. Fig. 6-is a perspective view of one of the brace frames removed.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings. the numeral 10 designates the bottom of the crate. This is in panel form, and located at one edge thereof is a l ngitudinallv-extending spacing strip or flange 11 which in coniunction with a panel 12 forms the rear side of the crate. The t p of the crate is designated by the numeral 13, and said top is designed to swing with, and is carried by. the side 12. and arranged at the opposite edge of the bottom 10 is the front side 14-. which is also in the form of a panel. At the ends of the bottom 10 are hingedly connected the end sections 15 and 16 respectively. which sections are arranged to fold inwardly upon the inner face of the b ttom 10. as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. lVhen so folded, the ends 15 and 16 lie substantially flush with the top edge of the spacing flange 11. and thus are out of the way and permit the ready folding of the other portions of the crate upon the bottom in the manner hereinafter described.

Midway between the ends of the side 14, and hingedly connected to the inner face of said side. is a folding central partition 17, which divides the crate into two compartments. in the usual manner. and for the purpose of sustaining the crate in the set-up position, a pair of pivoted latches 18 is arranged upon each of the ends 15 and 16, said latches coeperating with eves 19 car ried by the sides 12 and 14. These latches are preferably arranged near the upper portions of the ends 15 anchlG. and the eyes 19 are correspondingly located on the sides of the crate. A similar latch 20 is carried by the partition 17. which latch cooperates with an eye 21 which is carried by the side 12, whereby the partition 17 is also held in rigid position in the erected condition of the crate.

It has been stated before that one of the objects of the present invention is to brace the crate against the strains and stresses imposed thereon, and to this end brace frames, such as illustrated in detail in Fig. 6, are employed. One of these frames is arranged at each end of the crate, and a third one is employed midway between the end frames. Of course, any desired number of these frames may be used, and it will be observed that they entirely surround the crate so that the latter is effectually reinforced by these frames, and liability of breakage is reduced to a minimum. A significant feature regarding the brace frames in question is the fact that the bottom, sides and top of the crate are carried by some portion of these frames. Hence, as each portion of the crate is swung in relation to the other portions, it moves with a. part of the brace frame, and regardless of the position of the crate memleer, whether it be opened or closed, the same is braced and strengthened. By referring to Fig. 6, it will be observed that the brace frames each include an angle bar 22 comprehending a long arm, which carries the bottom 10 of the crate, and a short arm which extends at right angles to the long arm, and carries thespacing flange 11. A rear bar 23 is hingedly connected to the short arm of the angle bar 22, and to said bar 23 is connected the side 12. Hingedly connected to the side bar 23 is a top bar 24,

and this bar carries the top 13 of the crate.

To the end of the long arm of the angle bar 122 is hingedly connected a front bar 25,

which bar carries the side 14 of the crate, and all of said bars are fastened to their re spective members of the crate by means of rivets 26, the inner ends of which terminate in the eyes 19 and 21 with which the respective latches coiiperate. Thus, while the members of the brace frames reinforce and carry the members of the crate, they also serve to sustain the eyes 19 and 21.

Those members of the brace frames which are hingedly connected together are cut away at such connected portions to provide overlapping ears 27, and said ears receive I bolts 28, or theirequivalent, upon which the respective frame members are adapted to swing.

shall terminate at their inner endsin the eyes. Those rivets by which the top 13 is fastened to the top bars 24 ,need only be provided with appropriate heads, there being no latches to cooperate with these particular rivets, and this is also true of the rivets employed at other points in the crate structure where no eves are employed.

In the set-up condition of the crate, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the top 13 is free to be opened and closed in the usual manner, the same swinging upon the side bars 23, and access may be readily had to the interior of the crate. \Vhen, however, it is desired to collapse the crate, the latches 18 fastening the side 14-, which, as previously indicated is the front of the crate, are unhoolred from their contiguous eyes 19, the latch 20 being also unhooked from the eye 21 with which. it is engaged. The side 14 is now swung outwardl and downwardly, the partition 17 being folded upon the inner side of the same, and the side 14 is then folded in and under the bottom 10, as illustrated in Figs 4 and 5. The ends 1.5 and 1.6 may now be folded inwardly upon the bottom 10, whereupon the side 12 is also folded inwardly. and rests upon the ends 15 and 16. In so folding the side 12 the top 13 is turned backwardly upon the outer face of the side 12, and, if desired. a suitable binding wire or rope may be tied around the entire collapsed structure, whereby to hold the same in the folded relation of the parts as de scribed. In the collapsed or folded position of the crate the front bars 25 of the brace frames rest against the under sides of the angle bars 22, while the top bars 24 rest against the short arms of said angle bars. This braces the entire structure, and inasmuch as the strains and stresses are taken up by the bars of the brace frames, the use of thin light wood for the body portion of the crate is possible.

It will be observed that the hinges for the ends 15 and 16, in connecting the same with the bottom 10, are formed by interlocked eyes 31, which eyes constitute parts of the rivets previously described. and this is also true of the hinges employed for connecting the partition 17 with the side 14, interlocked eyes 32 being used at such point.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A folding crate, comprising a bottom, end sections hingedly connected thereto and adapted to fold inwardly thereon. a spacing strip arranged at one edge of said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom. a panel section associated with said spacing strip and coniointly therewith forming the rear side of the crate, a second panel section arranged at the opposite edge of said bottom and constituting the front of the crate,

and a top associated with the rear side of the crate, in combination with a plurality of brace frames encircling the exterior of the crate, when the same is in set-up condition,

each of said brace frames including an angle bar provided with a long and a short arm, the long arm supporting and carrying the bottom of the crate, and the short arm supporting and carrying said spacing strip, a rear bar hingedly connected to the short arm of the angle bar and supporting and carrying the panel section of the rear of the crate, a top bar hingedly connected to said rear bar and to which the top of the crate is connected, and a front bar hingedly connected to the long arm of the angle bar and to which the front of the crate is connected, the relation of the parts when the crate is collapsed being such that the front bars of the brace frames rest against the angle bars at their under sides and the top bars of said frames are seated against the short arms of the angle bars.

2. -A folding crate, comprising a bottom, end sections hingedly connectedthereto and adapted to fold inwardly thereon, a spacing strip arranged at one edge of said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom, a panel section associated with said spacing strip and conjointly therewith forming the rear side of the crate, a second panel section arranged at the opposite edge of said bottom and constituting the front of the crate, and a top associated with the rear side of the crate, in combination with a plurality of brace frames encircling the exterior of the crate When the same is in set-up condition, each of said brace frames including an angle bar provided with a long and a short arm, the long arm supporting and carrying the bottom of the crate, and the short arm supporting and carrying said spacing strip, a rear bar hingedly connected to the short arm of the angle bar and supporting and carrying the panel section of the rear of the crate, a top bar hingedly connected to said rear bar and to which the top of the crate is attached, and a front bar hingedly connected to the long arm of the angle bar and to which the front of the crate is connected, said bars at their points of hinged connection being cut away to provide overlapping ears, and means for holding the top and front bars of said frames in engagement With each other, the relation of the parts when the crate is collapsed being such that the front bars of the brace frames rest against the angle bars at their under sides and the top bars of said frames are seated against the short arms of the angle bars.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT F. AMMAN. Witnesses:

MARION F. G. Lnncn, l/VM. It. Cnoarwrtt.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

